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Frank Vallelonga Jr. was most well-known for his role in the 2018 film “Green Book,” which was actually based on his father’s life story. Frank’s dad, Frank Vallelonga Sr. — who later went by the name Tony Lip — served as bodyguard and transportation for the Black pianist Don Shirley as they dealt with the racism of 1960s America. In honor of his late father (who died in 2013), Frank Jr. owned an Italian restaurant named “Tony Lip’s,” per News 12 The Bronx. Frank Jr. also appeared in TV shows like “The Sopranos” and “The Neighborhood,” and the 2021 movie “The Birthday Cake,” per IMDb.
“I loved the guy. He was a great guy,” “The Sopranos” actor Vincent Pastore lamented to the New York Daily News after learning of his death. “The last time I saw Frankie, he came to one of my acting classes in the city about six months ago.”
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“Frank was a great guy, father, brother, actor, and friend,” Frank Jr.’s manager Melissa Prophet told Entertainment Weekly. “He will be missed by many.”
